HISTORY

In 1976, Myrtle Edwards' family approved the renaming of Elliott Bay Park as Myrtle Edwards Park.

In 1955, Mrs. F. F. Powell retired from City Council after 20 years of service. As her replacement, the Council chose Mrs. Myrtle Edwards, a graduate of the University of Illinois, a pianist and a vocal soloist who gave up her career to marry Harlan Edwards, an engineer, in 1918. In 1941, Mrs. Edwards succeeded Mrs. Powell as Chairwomen of the Harbor and Public Grounds Committee of Council, later changed to Parks and Public Grounds. She was unanimously elected President of City Council in 1969.

She was always at the forefront of campaigns and programs to preserve Seattle's natural beauty and to enhance it with new parks, planting and sculpture. One of her projects was the acquisitions of the gas plant site on the north shore of Lake Union, which she began to promote soon after joining City Council. In 1962, the City entered a 10-year contract to purchase the plant site for park purposes. But Myrtle Edwards did not see the park become a reality before she died in 1969, the result of a tragic automobile accident in Idaho.

The park on Lake Union was named in her honor in 1969. But as it became evident that the park design would feature the preservation of the industrial (plant) sculpture, the Edwards family requested her name be withdrawn in 1972. This was park was named Gas Works Park.

In 1976, her family approved the renaming of Elliott Bay Park as Myrtle Edwards Park. During her tenure on City Council she frequently was the lone dissenting moderate voice, but many times her quiet persuasion won over her eight male colleagues. Said one of them: "She was always willing to hear new ideas and change her mind."

To learn more about Seattle Parks and Recreation,
including historic landmarks, military base reuse, and the Sherwood History
Files, view our Park History.